Lobbying

House to take up spending bills, then budget

The House will take up its final eight spending bills before taking any action on a budget with fast-track instructions for tax reform, according to a GOP source with knowledge of the matter.

House Republicans intend to bring the package of appropriations measures to the floor upon their return during the first week of September.

The House approved an earlier package of four spending bills last month.

{mosads}The following week, House Republicans hope to pass the budget resolution, which will include reconciliation instructions for tax reform intended to prevent a Democratic filibuster in the Senate.

The budget has been stuck because of division within the GOP conference.

The House Freedom Caucus has demanded further mandatory spending cuts, as well as details on the conference’s tax reform plans

If the spending bills move before the budget, it will be another example of a budget process not following regular order in the House.

The process calls for a budget resolution to pass first, to be followed by the appropriations process.

House Budget Committee Chairwoman Diane Black (R-Tenn.), who earlier this month announced her candidacy for Tennessee governor, plans on stepping down from her role only after the budget resolution passes the House.

Meanwhile, the Senate has yet to pass its own resolution or any appropriations bills.

Half of the appropriations bills have been marked up in committee in that chamber. Those bills, however, have been set according to current spending levels; the House measures boost defense spending dramatically and make substantial cuts to nondefense discretionary spending.  

The 2017 fiscal year ends at the end of September. If a new spending measure is not passed, there will be a government shutdown.